The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-02-19
T H z
THE TRIUMPH OF JOSS.

In discussing the diplomatic difficult
ties which beset the Chinese Govern
ment, Prince Kung said to Sir Ruther-
ford AlcOck, British Minister at Peking
of you could only relieve us of mission
aries and opium all would be we'll" OF
course this Imperial Prince meant for
eign opium and Christian missionaries,
because homemade opium had for many
years been a Court monopoly, the pro-
ceeds being applied to the support of the
Mantchurian army, while the Buddhist
propaganda is active throughout the
Chinese Empire. His objection was to
the difficulties created by the presence of
Christian missionaries, who are not
always either as judiCiOus or as tolerant
OF the opinions, prejudices and rights Of
others as they might be, and who very
often bring upon themselves the Omar
tyrdOm" for which their respective
Governments are expected to exact rep
aratiOn.
The opium question was really one of
revenue, and has passed through sew
eral stages of adjustment, first and last,
by the sword and pen. Ultimately
treaty was negotiated between England
and China, which conceded to the latter
in substance all the Picking Government
ever had demanded, namely, the right
to collect the internal transportation tax
upon imported opium through the Gus
tom House at the port of entry. This
practically imposes an import duty of 70
per cent upon Indian opium. Before this
Convention the import duty fixed by
treaty was alone paid at the Custom
House, all domestic charges being col
lected by officers of the various provinces
through which the imported opium was
transported. The treaty in question,
which was signed by Lord Salisbury,
was strenuously opposed by Anglo-Chi-
nese merchants.
If the opium traffic has been settled /
to the satisfaction of China, however,
The religious question is not, and it will
z We no end of trouble in years to come.
7 lis is inevitable. The hopeless task of
proselytizing the teeming millions of
China has fascination for many minds,
~ no overlook the mass of heathenism at
1eir own doors, and who utterly ignore
ne Chinese assault upon the most sue
cessful field of missionary labor in the
world perhaps-the Hawaiian Islands.
Il is less than seventy years since the
st Christian missionaries landed in
lis country. Their record is a splendid
Dne The civilization of Hawaii is
lost certainly due to their influence.
) ct within the allotted life of man this
grand fabric OF Christian ethics is threat
ened with extinction. The Chinese have
invaded these islands, bringing with
them their gods and their superstition,
their vices and their frugality, and they
are pushing native and foreign Christians
to the wall.
Being devout as we'll as earnest men
the Chinese in the Hawaiian Islands
have erected temples to Joss within the
shadow of Christian churches, and the
smoke from the incense of their affairs
might fill the nOstrils of Christians en-
gagged at their devotiOns. Their inter
course with native women has tapped
the Christian fountain at its source, and
the feeble efforts to Christianize them
result in nothing practical beyond the
better equipping Chinese pupils to carry
on their economic war, before which the
Church is as certain to go down as free
white labor, or any industrial system or
ganized upon Western civilization.
We say nothing about opium. Its
consumption is an incident OF Chinese
residence. Wherever Cinnamon 60 they
introduce opium. They have done SO
here, and opium is to-day above the
law. That, however, may be remedied.
What cannot be remedied, however, is
the social and religious supremacy which
the Chinese have attained in this country.
In view OF this terrible menace to Chris
tan civilization on these Islands, the
varied forms of moral and religious
activity among our people must appear